The Tales of New Shadow
by Servant of Fire
Summary: An attempt at continuing a plot for a sequel to the trilogy Professor Tolkien had considered and then discontinued. Plot varies from his initial plan.
1. Chapter 1 The Fall of Eowyn Shieldarm

**The Fall of Eowyn Shieldarm**

**Being the first part in the tales of "The New Shadow", In which Melkior broke his chain, and escaped the Void, to punish the deeds of Frodo Nine Fingered.**

She ,Eowyn, last of all the daughters of men, who had taken the helm, and sword, and armor and creed of shieldmaiden, had dared to strike the Lord of the Nazgul. Had dared to strike him down. And Theoden King had been saved. But she fell into a Black Sleep, from which she did not awake.

She lay sick in the Houses of Healing for many a day. And slowly she froze till her heart was as hard as a stone. They laid her shining, broken sword apoun her , and placed silvery helm at her feet, and placed a cloak of midnight blue around the silver mail clad, Rider's armor that she wore on slender frame. And they sealed her in the Tombs of the Kings of Gondor, and there she lay, forever, neither living nor dead, but deep asleep, and here following of the tale is the dream she dreamed, and the war she waged in the Shadow, and though far spread was the tale of the "Fall of Eowyn Shieldarm", still many that passed into His Shadow in the days to come , saw her leading the fight against the Eight of the Nine who remained, given new strength, under Melkior's vengeance.

For he escaped the cold Void into which the Valar cast him, and through Sauron's dieing breath, he journeyed across moon, and star, and cold valley of open sky, to the Sammath Naur. And when he stepped through the Doors of Fire, he had but one desire. No more did he Melkior, Fallen of the Highest, desire conquest, he merely wished to see the Valar suffer greatly. He sought vengeance apoun those who had sought the end of his servants.

Frodo the Ninefingered was then taken, with Samwise his faithful servant, into the Night, where he would rebuild a prison, where everyday was as long as the lives of the Eldar, and he purposed, by slow torment, to cause the Ringbearer to betray his friends into His hand.

Then she, Eowyn, who dwelt in captivity with those who had fallen asleep, rose up, and mustered the dead, to march on the Gates of Angband the Greater, to challenge the Dark Lord that he should give up his prisoners lest a greater end than his last should befall him.

"Why stand you, men of the cold North, men of the sea- washen West, men of the sunscorched East, men of the wooded South_why stand you thus, afraid?" said she, as she came riding into the City of the Hapless Dead, astride the horse, of the Nazgul Lord himself. "Are they gods who can be mastered? Is there not only One Father in heaven, and One Prince over Middle Earth, and have we not but to wait, and to stand in patience, till He comes?" (For rumors had passed through air and water, that Iluvatar's only son, was soon coming again from all the paths He'd wandered ,beyond the circles of the worlds,to Middle Earth, to free it once and for all from the hand of Morgoth and his minions. )

Then they who were warriors among all who had fallen, rose up, and put on armor, and took up swords, and made them shields, and they girded themselves about the waist, and rose up, and were strong, to stand behind the Lady of the White North, in whatever end greater than death would befall them while they waited for Iluvatar's son, the Tirgil(that is to say in elven, "Watchful-star") was come.

And this is where the Tales of the New Shadow begin, and who knows what all tales shall be told, or songs sung, for the deeds of Tirgil and his servants, there are more of these than can be penned on the sky, though Manwe and Elbereth worked the Looms of Night forever, to roll out the scroll thereof to continue the telling...


	2. Chapter 2 The Coming of Tirgil

**The Coming of Tirgil~**

And it happened on this wise that in the days following the Captivity of Frodo Ninefingered and Samwise the Brave, that He came, The First Child of Iluvatar, His only Begotten Son, from where He had been wandering, out beyond the stars, and beyond the furthest strains of the Song of the Valar,and beyond all shapes of their lands. He came riding on the White Steed of Starlight, in the cool of the day, when Mithrandir walked on the borders of the land of Ithlien, and his heart pained him greatly, for what had befallen the Ringbearer.

"Hail!" he cried, to the true White Rider, "Now I must bow before the One. For my eyes have not seen you, nor heard the sweet music of your voice, since the days of my youth, when I was Olorin, and the West was young."

Behold Tirgil was yet unchanged, like an elf in frame, but like one of the men of Numenor in the likeness of his face, and the hair of his head and face were like a woven twilight fire, and his eyes like flames of dawn, but his beard had been torn roughly out, and there were left on his face, clear as a white jewel, scars of bluish hue. Also his wrists and heels bore scars of great torment,and he wore a greater care than he did in elder days, when the world was young.

"Olorin you will always be to me!" he laughed, and leaped down from his tall horse. And Mithrandir felt as though all the strength were gone from his body, in the presence of the One's graceful child. "Such sorrow you bear, when you look apoun me?" said the Prince, gravely.

"My Lord, I am sorrowfull,for I know not what things caused the marks of care you bear?"

And Tirgil smiled sadly, and lowered his head," I have been walking, out beyond the Void, in the other realms my Father has made. And in other worlds I have other names. Some have called me"Aslan"(that is to say "Lion") still others "Redeemer" the "Anointed" they call me in many tounges. And all names are true, for I bring good tidings! I bore the spirit of Darkness, the Shapeless that gives evil strength, out beyond wind and fire. In my body , I have born it , and I carried it into outer darkness,and I hung me on a tree, and there shall the Nameless hang for all the ages of the worlds my Father is ever giving shape. Fear not, for I am not ignorant of all you have suffered, nor the sufferings of Frodo , my servant. I have come to set the captives free."

And then Mithrandir called for Elessar, the king of Gondor, and he came with grey hosts, all stragglers in the forests, who awaited the fall of the vengeful hand of Melkor, or perhaps the coming of their Lord. And behold, he had come,and Aragorn Elessar lifted up his voice, and wept, and said,

"Atlast,no authority given me could give me leave to deny the right of the Return of the King! Here,my Lord, I surrender my crown! I shall follow you into battles,and darkness, and death, and whatever end. My life atleast, is at your command! You have my sword."

"And my bow,Lord." said Legolas Greenleaf, who came forward, and bowed. And Gimli Gloin's son, who would not be parted from the elven prince,though all the leauges of hell stood inbetween, stumbled and fell, from his weariness, at his friend's side. "And my axe,good Master!My axe too, if you'll have it!"

And Merry and Pippin ,the Ringbearer's kin, came running, "Ours too, ours too!"they cried.

"My brothers!, Indeed I shall have you all, if you are willing to follow me. But keep your crown, Aragorn. I gave Gondor to you, and all the world is mine to give. Why do we tarry then, little brothers? Shall we not go for our friends, who linger amongst the slain,to muster them all? Shall we not march on Angband the Greater, the Dark Prince builds, away in the Void?" the Tirgil cried.

And with a mighty shout, they began to rally the soldier's even that very night. For soon they would march on the Lockholes of the Slain, and come to Eowyn in her need, and Thorin Oakenshield, who had rallied to the Lady's cause all dwarves who were imprisoned in the heart of the earth, and to the aid of Luthien who held the fortress of the Fallen Elves, there under the Black Foe's roving eye.


	3. Chapter 3 The Flight of Nine Fingered

**The Flight of Nine Fingered~**

And it happened on this wise, that Melkor, as he sat on the high seat of Angband the Greater,(that he had shapen again in the shadows for himself,)that word came unto him that the Tirgil had returned from where he had hung for ages beyond count, out beyond time, in the Void, on the Accursed Tree, and knowing that he came to claim his victory, the lord of darkness grew desperate in hate ,and he had in the forges of the GreatKeep, fashioned, a suite of armor, all of gold, that molded to his body, as the Ring of Power had fashioned to Sauron's finger.

And he called for his servants, that they should raise up , Smaug the mighty tyrant of the Third age,Smaug the Terrible who had long held sway under stone, Smaug who was long years dead and hidden in the bowls of the earth, and there had grown to being greater than all the Great Worms, his kindred, had he commanded his servants that they should make for him a great seat , as a saddle for the serpant, that he might fly out to meet the Son of the One, in one last great fire.

It happened then , that Frodo and Sam, were hung up by their hands, above the Gates of Ashes,tall gates that were the door way into Angband, made of the ashen bones of servants who displeased the cruel master,mixed with the blood of elves till they were hard as marble, fashioned like great teeth,and terrible were they. And Frodo himself, had been driven through with a knife dipped by the Black Foe's own hand, in the blood of Sauron, and his heart burned in a fire that died not,and of all the torments that ever filled the earth with sorrow, his was the greatest, or perhaps not? For brave Samwise must watch,powerless, as day after endless day, his master's torment grew all the more grievous.

"Ho, now, Sam-lad? Did you hear what the Dark Lord said?"

"Aye, I did Mr. Frodo, for I hear every word he whispers, and his voice has begun bouncing about in my head, night and day, making no mistake!"

Frodo looked at Sam in great anxiety, and he knew his master's mind. For to them, everyday since they had come to this black land, had been longer than the lives of the Valar, and he knew his master very well, and loved him dearer all the while, and Frodo likewise loved him greater, and that is where his anguish came from tonight.

"Begging your pardon,master dear, but if you should try and give him the slip, your torments will only be greater still, than you can even hope to imagine, and that's saying alot, should you fail ,anyway."

"Which is why I cannot fail, Sam. We can't stay here. If they are left without warning of what the Enemy plans to do, then Smaug will devour all that is left outside of this shadow, whatever that is , I cannot tell. And this shall be for our friends, if they live yet, away in the world. And if not for them, then for their descendants, or for whoever remains who holds fidelity with the One, for if darkness yet fights, there must be light."

Then Sam was very grave," Now,Mr. Frodo that's a hard thing, knowing your Sam will have to watch you hurt, and I can barely stand it now! But if you will go,master, then I will go with you. You shouldn't have to suffer,not alone anyway!"

"Oh, bless you,ever bless you,Sam! It is for you that I endure, for if there is a world left to be saved, I think that you should be the one to sow it, and tend to the green and good of it, for to my eyes you are what is best of what is left."

"Oh,now, Mr. Frodo, I shouldn't say all of that, you haven't even seen the sort of world we left in so long, how can you know it? " Sam laughed, bashfully, and Frodo smiled on him, warm as the sun far away in the sky of the living.

"But if we are going then we must be about the business of doing it,before the uproar's done upstairs, and they've time to come and have a look on us." he concluded, squaring his jaw.

"Very well,Sam!" Frodo leaned against the gate, to reveal that he had worked his hands free of their bonds some time ago. He took the tooth of one of the Nazgul's vile steeds (that had broken from gnawing these gates that's very nature of making made the demons hungry) and with it, he loosened Sam's bonds.

"Well, bless me,indeed!, and how you came by that piece of luck, I haven't a clue. But begging your pardon, master,that as yet still doesn't give us a way down."

"Why, Sam, how easy! We shall use our chains! And when they open the gates to feed the carcasses from the executions to the serpants below us, we shall slide down, and make a swim for it."

"But Master, have you forgotten?(and how could you not have, seeing as we haven't had water in so long,no way).I can't swim!"

"No, Sam, I didn't forget.I will swim,and you may float on my back."

"Master?.."

"You carried me once,it's fair enough. Now let us be quick about it!, they are coming , I hear the chain- rattling now..."

And with an ugly tearing of the flesh of victems, the orcs began to open the gates, to pour entrails down into the mouths of the beasts. Then Frodo swung his chain to Sam, and took him on his shoulders. And with great pain to his hands, he slid down the chain, and swung over the serpants' heads, and they landed together with a great splash in the sewer waters running down from Angband the Greater, and out into the Ashwaiths, as they are called, where Thorin and Eowyn were currently converging armies, and planning a final defense against the coming of the Dark Lord and his Snake. And many times the two Halflings were nearly swallowed up in the great tearing of entrails, and nearly sank under the thickness of blood, but Frodo's will had hardened for all the ages of his grief, and the two of them passed through to the shore, and took to their heels, flying like birds out of glass bottles,free at last, and after all time.


	4. The Stand of Shieldarm and Oakenshield

**The Stand of Oakenshield and Shieldarm~**

No sooner had Frodo and Sam made a run for it, than did Melkor don his vile Armor of Power, and again become Morgoth the Black, greater now in his strength, than all ancient strength ever he possesed. And Smaug screamed, a shriek that would freeze the bloodless veins of wraiths, and the Armies of the Dead quailed.

But Eowyn did not blench, maiden of the Rohirrim, daughter of kings, slender but as a steel blade,fair but oh!terrible to behold was she, clad in steel armor that burned red as blood in the light of the Dragon's eyes.

"Men of the West!," she cried,"Why stand you thus afraid?Why are your knees knocking so? We are the servants of Tirgil the One! Who is this Worm before him?To me, brothers! To me, stand, fear no darkness,what harm can he do more?, we are already dead!" And she sounded the great horn of her people she had carried with her down into the deeps of the Dream from whence she would not wake. Then Thorin stood up on a stone, armed only with a great oaken branch, and he cried:" Brothers! Man and dwarf and elf all, hear you not that horn? And what if it can harm us more than our great harm? What then? Shall we blench when we hold the reigns to the great beast, and we can put him down?! No matter what becomes of us,the risk is too great for the world we left behind!"

And then Boromir, fair and brave Boromir, lifted his broken horn high above his head, " I know not what doom shall be, but I for one shall stand!" he cried, and men began to say, "Is this not Borormir, our brave captain,who in life we loved?" And Faramir his brother,himself Asleep,rallied those of the Rangers who were there amongst the slain,"To the Lady,to the Lady of the White North! She shall not stand alone!" he cried, and the fight began on this wise.

For Eowyn was already far ahead, riding straight for the jaws of Smaug the Lord of Death."Go back, go back, Filth of Night! Go and crawl in the slough of ashes from whence you came! You are no more than a worm under the stone feet of ancient mountains! You are a worm that shall wither in the Coming Sun!"

"I am a worm?!" the dragon jeered. "I?..Woman,you do not know what you speak of. I am the Worm that devours all flesh. I will leave you spineless and ashen before the next hour strikes!"

"Indeed you will, I have no doubt! But let it be said, that Eowyn Eomund's daughter , would bow before none other than the Tirgil! And when she is dead, hang her skull on the Gates of Angband,for every eye to see her , that they may know there was one, atleast, who would not leave their watch, along the Walls of Wailing."

And the dragon seethed,and drew a great mouthful of fire, but his master checked him,"Leave this woman to my breaking...You've an old enemy with which to spar."

The the dragon turned wanton eyes on Thorin who leaped from rock to rock, rallying his dwarves, forming a wall of bows and shields, to burn the beast's knees. And he turned likewise, and their eyes met, "What ,you slug? Do you still lust kingdoms not yours to keep?! Shall you be drunk on blood? Drink of mine,and may it poison you!" And he spun his oakenshield, and spat, and the dragon set apoun him like a terrible wind, and knocked the Dwarves over with the wind of his wings, and Thorin leaped to meet him, lacing his oakenshield through the dragon's front teeth,binding them where they could not open to breath his fire, though the heat of it boiling in his chest would've been enough to kill a man.

And in that same moment, the Lord of Darkness stood up, towering over Eowyn, who leaped off the Steed of the Fallen Wraith- King,and brandished her blade, casting aside her shield," You are wise, daughter of the White North. No shield will save you, of how I will break you."

Eowyn laughed then, and tossed aside her helm, releasing the bonds of her white-gold fire hair,"Can any weapon or armor save me from you,oh Tryrant of Ages? Can any host or tower, or fortress keep you out, oh Wave of Darkness? Shall you not crash down on me like all the memory of the ages of shadow you have waited for this day? ...Indeed you shall do all this, and worse than even you dreamed in the imaginations of your dark heart. But I will not give you the satisfaction of fear, for I will glady endure all you could dream of torment, and more than even you know, and this for the lives of my friends, whom you have threatened!"

The Dark Lord roiled with dark laughter.."Mmm, such pretty words...for shame that _these_ can't save you." And then with the heavy blow of the sword he forged from Sauron's bones, he fell apoun her, and she met him with her own blade, given strength to endure by the light of the One, by the Flame Imperishable,that went whithersoever Tirgil sent it. She smiled on him grimly, as he cried in rage that it should hold, and their fight began, setting the course of hell on fire.

And it was in the midst of all of this that Frodo and Sam ran into the fray, and accidently,right over the top of Faramir, who was aiming his bow to fire a distracting shot at the Dark Lord. The Lady, for all her coldness, had become a very dear friend to him, and had the Dream not claimed them both, he may have hoped for more. But now,even if they did wake,they would be changed by the Dream, and this was a shadow and a thought and would never be. Still a friend she had become, perhaps even dearer than wife or sister, or any kinswoman,and if she was to suffer at the hand of the Black One, then he would make his way to her side, and shoulder atleast some of the burden. So distraught was he for watching the pain of her fight, so set was he on that fateful shot, that the return of the Ringbearers literally swept him off his feet, and he staired at them breathless and blue of lips, when very apologetically, they set him on his feet again.

"Well, bless me Mr. Frodo, but if it isn't Captain Faramir, and after all days!"

Faramir staired in disbelief, and Frodo looked about the field,"We have met in better ways, I'm sure."

"Truelly.."

"Don't you have anything we could fight with? Begging your pardon, sir, but you see, we're short of frying pans or rocks to throw, and they took everything else."Sam puffed, getting down to business immediately, as was his way.

Faramir laughed, and handed them both two small daggers from his boots, and so the Ringbearer's joined the great battle in hell.


	5. Chapter 5 The Horses of Healing

**The Horses of Healing~**

Eowyn began to burn before the eyes of her army, as she fought sword to sword with the Lord of Darkness,and saw the Void of his eyes. Her eyes and teeth turned to bright flame, but still she did not blench, slender lily of steel,child of the cold ,white North. And though she fought with valor that would put her high among the great queens of renown, still the hearts of her army began to quail. Then Luthien Tuniviel stood on a stone above the elvish host, and she cried,

"Come , our brothers , the children of men,grow faint of heart. Let us sing for them."

And so it was, that clear elven voices rang out over blood and fire, and vapour of smoke, and the dwarves who's hearts died within them, as they watched brave , young Thorin in the jaws of the Worm, joined the song, and made one last glorious stand, all rallying under the belly of the beast, and heaving him off their lord. And he stood up, out of the midst of his own burns and blood, and took to him a great stone,and began to break the teeth of the dragon with many blows crying, "So how shall you do for teeth now, slug? And how will you devour, oh Lord of Desolation?"

With a great cry the sons of men, took up swords again, and charged to them to aid them in slaying the Dragon- Once- Slain. And they filled him with arrows till his scales began to pluck off, and then they drove him through with swords and spears, and he fought in vain, for he was dying; he was already dead.

In the midst of the slaying of Smaug, for a moment, Eowyn's peril was forgotten. Or nearly forgotten. For Frodo had come to give warning, and found no warning had been needed. Still might he not help? He was still the Ringbearer,the Nine- fingered,the one the dark lord hated above all the rest. With a cry that tore through Sam's bones, he ran to the Lady's aid, even as she fell,flat on her back, and seemed as though she would not rise. He ran and leaped apoun the Dark Lord's shoulders, bearing down apoun him mightily with many a knife blow. Eowyn staired in disbelief, through eyes clouded by flame that only increased in heat the longer it burned. Sam ran and knelt at her side, "Oh, Lady, a dreadful thing , this! Oh! it isn't likely Mr. Frodo will win, I mean he's had such a hard time having to fight with the other one of this like,and he's too weak to go killing a Dark Lord, least of all the terrible Morgoth of Legend,no way! He'll do worse , far worse,than an unnatural death to my master, and making no mistake..."

And that is when Eowyn heard the clear ringing of silver trumpets, and took Sam by the hand."Fear not, little one. Behold HE comes,riding on the Horses of Healing, and every eye shall see him, and all the dead shall live. Your master will be well, for none, not even Melkor the Malificent can stand before the Son of the One."And with a gasp, she surrendered the fight to Tirgil, and passed out cold in the ashes, Sam still clutching at her snow- cold hand.

Morgoth gave a cry, and hurled Frodo from his shoulders, and ran for his very being before the face that burned like morning, of the Star of the Day astride a lightning- white stallion, and with him Mithrandir, and Shadowfax bore him, and Aragorn Elessar, and Prince Legolas with Gimli Gloin's son,and Merry and Pippin too were there, as were Eomer and Theoden King. Also a very young hobbit Frodo didn't recognize as his uncle, Bilbo, came riding down, all on the white horses of heaven. And even as they all passed out of concious, the Rider's bore them up, and drove back the Uruk-hai that had acted as an escort to the Dark Lord and his steed,now a burning carcass of mountain size on the field.

Melkor then went,sniveling,back to his Shadow, as the hosts of Tirgil burned down the Gates of the Greater Angband, freeing the captive, and bearing all of the wounded home, all in that self-same and swift hour.


	6. Chapter 6 The Feast of Tirgil

**The Feast of Tirgil~**

When the Black Foe had thrown Frodo, he fell into darkness,and the dreams of the wounded, and the Posion that flowed through him only sent him deeper into the Shadow than the worst fears of his friends, and some began to think that Frodo was irretrievable,but how foolish a fear! For no sooner had all the wounded been cleared from the field, and set in beds in the Tabernacles of Healing( the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith moved to great tents that could be taken up in an hour and moved closer to the wounded), then did Tirgil himself come to Frodo, and call him up from the darkness of his dreams.

And when he woke , there _he _stood at the foot of his bed, and Frodo noticed that something was changed. He sat up, and staired in awe at the Lord of Light before him, as pale and bright as if the moon stood on the earth, clad in the silver and golden armor of an elven king, hair like waves of the woven twighlight, red and gold and even thin strands of wine colored amethyst ,like the sunset before the storm. And he laughed and smiled at him,and then, it was as if the dawn that was Tirgil's very presence, caused understanding to dawn his mind. He looked down at himself,and realized that the Stain of Sauron's Blood,the wound in his heart from the dagger of the Black One, was entirely gone. He was as whole as the days of his youth in the Shire. Infact his youth had been restored.

"Why, I'm?"

"Well after the End of the Ages? Indeed, Frodo, dear child, you and all those you ever loved."

Frodo lay back and staired at Tirgil in disbelief. And Tirgil laughed, and stretched out a hand with scarred wrist.

"Come, this is the time of celebration!"he cried,"And Melkor shall be left to skulk , as of yet, for he is a spoiled and a defeated foe, and like a chastised child, he will bow to the will of my Father, the Father of All,or his last end shall be worse than his first."

Then Frodo took the hand of the One, and he lead him out into a field of living men, a field out away in the East, leagues beyond the last ashen plain of Mordor. "What is this place?It seems as though we do not walk in Ithilien, though it looks like Ithilien, and very much so."

"This is the Lonely Plain, beyond Mordor's filth, and here is where I will build a mighty kingdom, that will take the Shadow as if by the Jaws of a Great Fish ,rising up from the sea, and for that reason, this encampment is called, the Village of the Fish,and here the armies of Middle Earth all gather to my sword."

And then he laughed, for Sam came running, and knocked Frodo flat on his back in a fervent embrace,"Bless you,Mr. Frodo, but if we haven't made it out of that Blackness at long and weary last! And what do you know?, Merry and Pippin, and Gandalf, Aragorn and Legolas, and Gimli, and even Boromir, they're all here, and alive too!Alive! How on earth are they alive?"

Tirgil laughed when they both looked up, eyes as wide as young fawns, and he said, "There is much to tell of deeds done in Shadow, soon brought to the light. A Feast we shall make now, under living trees, The Feast of the Fishers,shall we call it, for you my daughters and sons, shall be fishers of souls, and deliver them up from the teeth of the Dark Ones."

Frodo was light headed with happiness when the Fellowship of the Ring came walking his way, all clad in the armor of victory, and with them came Eowyn Shieldarm, herself clad in armor like to the Tirgil's save it was all of silver, and woven with white stones, so that she looked like a blade of starlight, and her riding trousers were dark green, so that her slender legs were like blades of grass, and her white gold hair terrible like the Flame Imperishable, that had woken her to a new life in a new world. And with her came Captain Faramir,and he was himself changed,so that his head was crowned with fire, in a circlet about it, and his eyes shone like the stars before the morning. And with them came Thorin Oakenshield, clad in armor that had woven into it many stones of the same grace and beauty as the Arkenstone, set in plates of steel, and his hair was as black as a raven's wings, and his face had regained it's youth that dragon fire and pestilence and war and death and darkness all had tried to swallow. And with him came a young Hobbit, clad in mithril, a look of mischief on his face, and Frodo recognized him then,not by his likeness, nor by his voice, but by his company, and his was ofcourse, if you haven't guessed, Bilbo, young again and returned for another adventure. And behind him came in like order, Fili and Kili, the nephews of Thorin, and smiles were on their faces, and their heads were crowned with silver, and they bore a look of such joy, none could guess what trouble their former lives had known. And there also were the rest of Thorin's company, beards no longer bearing the winter grey of age,but they were all of them young and careless dwarf lads again.

"Now here is a thing unlooked for through all the Age of Despair!" Frodo cried, and clutched Sam's hand,"For here are friends, and friendly faces, though I don't know all of you."

"A time for introductions, then,I should think!"Bilbo laughed and stepped forward, gesturing to himself, "I am your uncle, Bilbo, and I know I look far better than when you knew me, though even that is probably not so good as I should hope."

"Only half as well as you would like, and half again what you deserve!" Pippin quipped, and Merry elbowed him, and Bilbo gave them both an unamused look.

"And ofcourse, you know all these , and Captain Faramir ofcourse, and this is the Lady Eowyn of Rohan, and this is the legendary Thorin Oakenshield, King-Under- the - Mountain , and Princes Fili and Kili, and the Company of the Mountain King, and some of these you've met before in Rivendell, though they were all so old then, weren't you?" And they laughed."And I believe you have met our Lord already?"

And Frodo laughed then, and had more to say than his small tounge could find to say,and Tirgil laughed, and ushered them into the Village, where the Tent of Wine and Song was already set up." The time for talk shall be long, and pleasant, and there is so much to tell. Come find seats, and food, there shall be a great and merry feast, for I have returned,and all shall be well, when I come into my own..."

And Frodo grabbed Sam's arm,and slid close to Bilbo, and shook his head in disbelief, and Bilbo chuckled, "Age changed you greatly, uncle! And Thorin, I have always wished to meet you!"

The King Under the Mountain laughed,"Greetings then, and much time for acquaintance, I have no doubt. I have ever wished to meet you too, Frodo Nine-fingered..."

And so it was that all the great lords of the west, wanderers long in the black expanse of the open sky, came to rest under their Star, and what follows shall be less bitter for all its pain, because Tirgil, Giver of Life, shall be with them in that final peril before the Enemy is cast down, forever and the last time.


	7. Chapter 7 Melkor's Vow

**Melkor's Vow~**

Then skulking and crawling, like a worm through mud, Melkor returned to his shadow,brooding. For he had returned from sleep in the Void for the sole purpose of vengeance. And now had Tirgil returned,and the glory of his purpose had he taken away from him.

"How then shall we make him suffer? How then shall we repay him for the glory of my darkness he shattered with the light?" he said to himself and to the the darkness had bled into his soul, and gnawed on his mind, until he and the darkness were one and the same, save only that he was its master, and knew how to use it to mock all that is made.

And then he stretched his terrible wings, that had grown of the very blackness,shapen from the very quills of darkness in his soul. And he gnashed his teeth that had become sharp as swords, and shrieked a terrible shriek like the voice of a thousand machines, all worn long past their use.

"I will burn... Forest, field, and sheepfold. I will burn the morning star, and the evening sun. I will burn the mountains, and the streams shall become mist, and my fire shall yet thirst, and shall not be quenched. I shall burn the sons and the daughter, the wives and children...Nay, for I may use them as slaves in great mines. And what end will there be to the burning? And shall I not do such a thing after all my glory is wrought, and I have sickened Tirgil in his soul till he cannot rise again? I know then what I shall do. I shall burn his servants! I shall make a full end of burning the Ninefingered. And SHIELDARM!" he beat his wings in fury, " I shall burn her, till her very bones are like molten steel, and I shall give him her ashes to eat, and her blood to drink! And the Oakenshield, ah yes, I shall light a very special fire for him. For is he not the one? the very one, who slew my Servant, Steed of Steeds,noble Smaug...For Smaug...I shall work a fire verily that cannot be put out for Oakenshield..."

And filled with his malificent purpose, he rose up on wings of pestilence, and went deeper into the Chasm that ever he durst, for that is where he should find the spark to work the fire and ruin he sought, and even he knew not how vile a thing it was after which he sought, nor the ruin of the end of this. If not for Tirgil's grace on the face of the earth, the world,nor its circles could endure it.


	8. Chapter 8 The Fading of Greenleaf

**The Fading of Greenleaf~**

Now it happened that, whilst the servants of Tirgil,and their lord were feasting, and many were met who had long been parted,and stories flowed as freely as wine, and music exhaled apoun the walls of the sky, as the ocean apoun the shore, that Legolas Thrandurilion , the Greenleaf as he was known, was standing watch at the edge of the encampment. For there was a shadow in his mind, and he did not rest in ease,though laughter filled the air like the crackling of the hearth-fire, though the warmth of the Sun-Come-Down wafted like incensce through the camp, still did not the elven prince rest.

"Come,Legolas." Gimli laughed, striding out to meet him. "For there is wine and song, and malt beer,and meat off the bone! I think I shall find some heart's ease in this place. The Good Master has come!Why then are you still so fey of mood?"

Now Legolas was old ,though a youth amongst the Eldar, and wise. And his love for his friend exceeded even his wisdom. And he sensed the thing of his fears coming apoun him. Now was the time to send Gimli away.

"My friend... The battle has wearied me. So I ask you a simple favor, if you will not be inconvenienced by it."

"A simple favor or a challenging favor, my princeling, I think nothing of it!" laughed the Dwarf, and Legolas' heart troubled him greatly, for he heard the steps drawing nigh.

"Would you but bring me a wineskin, but fill it with water? And then when I am revived enough, I should come and join in merry- making."

Gimli laughed,"Elves are ,of all the peoples of the earth, most strange! How is it that you can walk long years under the sky without age, and go long nights without sleep, and still you wither like a leaf without water? Alright! Say no more, Gimli Gloin'sson will fetch it for you, though he braved all the Serpants of the Dark to do so!"

Legolas laughed to hide his mind, "Pray don't face any serpants! Water is all I wanted. But, if there are serpants to be faced save a few for Legolas the son of the Woodland King. Yet another skin for my father's wall!"

"Oh ,if I must.."Gimli laughed, and went to do as he'd been asked, not knowing that the Elf had sent him out of the way of harm, or that great doom awaited him now.

He turned then to the Invisible One. "Why have you come?" he asked the Shapeless. "Knowing that this is the Feast of the One, and he has his victory already won? Why do you come, when you know you are beaten? Or is your memory no more than the heat of the day, the wake of an hour? I am one of the Elder children...I do not forget. But then of all of the children of the Father-of-All, it seems that you are oldest...Oldest in deeds of wrong ,as well."

And then she laughed, the mistress of the darkness, The Vampiress, and stepped out from under the wings of the Shapeless ,her guardian..." I have come, because my lord, yet looks for vengeance. And his patience, indeed, young princeling, has grown more thin than the moth eaten shroud in which they shall wrap you...Oh and for shame, you lived but an hour in comparison to all who have walked this earth...You lived but a moment in the lives of the gods..."

"If my life shall be forfeit to hinder your mission, then it is forfeit. But you have comitted a greater offense than you know, coming here, on the eve of Victory, to do this thing. Tell me, why have you come?" he drew forth the bow the Lord had infused with the light of the Flame Imperishable.

"Tell me now, and I shall not give you the trouble of Light before your time! I shall be silent as the lambs to slaughter, tell me only, why have you come?"

"I have come to claim him..." she smiled, "The one they call Nine-fingered. For I know he would go willingly, to see that they not suffer..."but then she smiled, wickedly,and changed her shape, so that she appeared like Tinuviel.

"If she can bear my shape,what prevents me from wearing hers?"

"You disgrace her!"

"And you,you are a fool!" she drew her knife,and spread her great black raven wings..." And yet you are a better vessel for my purpose than the Nine-fingered..For he has grown weary in much toil. But you..." she smiled, and flashed teeth of steel, folded more clawlike than after the likeness of teeth, against her lips they folded, like pinschers in the snout of a dragon." You willingly give your life to me...though it is for nought."

"I do not make bargain with witches! I do not sell myself to pestilence ,as if I were a whore of the Darkness! But I know you, and I know what you will do. And an immortal life is a mere breath to be let and pass away with the fervent heat of my torment, in comparison of worth, to the glory of my Lord, or to the keeping of my friends..."

"Oh pretty words, Thrandurilion. Well done, they are your last!"

She lifted him by the throat, and just as Gimli came back with the waterskin, she was burying her knife in his heart, and sinking her teeth into his neck. All of his blood,bled out on his chest, and her black venom went in through his neck. And his skin turned pale as the evening snow, and his hair burned to ashes from his head,and his eyes became red and snakelike, like one other Eye that they had known.

"Behold, you are the Eyes of Morgoth! And there shall be no end to your watchfullness, oh meddling Elf Prince!Down, now like a snake you shall crawl, like autumn you shall wither, and you shall see all his mind, and know all his heart, and where he shall move his pieces. You shall watch ,your elf-eyes shall see it all!"

And then with a hiss to the Nameless, she left him there, kneeling in the grass, and Gimli ran screaming for their Lord.

And Legolas lifted his elf-eyes to heaven one last time,and saw the Star of Earendil, before Darkness took his mind...


	9. Chapter 9 Undomiel's Lament

**Undomiel's Lament~**

That night the heaven's were black and the moon would not give her light. And the grey rain fell from on high,but the ground was dry as the throats of the thirsty dead,and none could quench the sorrow of the earth for the burden she bore, and her bones were broken, and her side was pierced to receive the seed of departed life. And the cries of Gimli could be heard even to the throne of Elbereth,and she sent tears from the stars, and they fell in a white rain, shining on the ground,and passing hence unknown from the world. All other lights went out.

And a day that began with feasting and joy, ended with vigil and mourning.

For Legolas,the Prince- Under- Tree,would not endure the night.

Many things had happened all at once. For the Lord Tirgil had heard the steps of the Shapeless even as Legolas did, and had gone to fight with him in the air, and had not as of yet come down. So he had left the command of his army to Elessar, and the command of his horsemen to Shield-arm. To Mithrandir he had given the watch of Frodo and Sam, and had commanded they take council together,that Mithrandir may learn the Enemy's mind ,from their report.

And all of this was in motion, when Gimli came to fetch the waterskin,and seeing the trouble within the Feast, he understood in full his friend's mind.

"A trick you have played on me, Master Elf!" he cried, "And not one I shall soon forget!Pray be alive when I come with axe swinging to aid you!"

And he was alive, for a moment. But before Gimli's axe could fall, he had been mortally wounded, and the Enemy wa gone.

So Gimli ran screaming for the only one present that he believed could help his friend.

And that was Arwen Undomiel, who had been serving the wine at the feast.

She it was who caught him, even as he fell into darkness. She it was who held him in quaking arms , as his eyes filled with the Sight of the Dark Lord,and the shapes of torment were torment enough in themselves.

"Oh, is there no end to sorrow under the sky!" cried Arwen,in a high voice, misted with tears." _A Elbereth Gilthoniel! Gilthoniel a Elbereth_!" she wailed, and looked away from the doomed eyes to heaven, "Is there no light left to the children of the One? Or is the Evenstar gone down from the hosts of your mighty company? Oh ,Manwe, have mercy, and hear! Oh, Elbereth, look my way!"

And Gimli shook his head,"Why do you weep so,She-Elf? Help him!" he cried, thrusting _athelas _leaves ,from his belt pouch, and none too fresh, at her. She took them in a shaking hand, and wet them in her tears, but she already knew. Legolas sighed,and took the hand that held them...

"Arwen..." he whispered.

"I'm here..."

"Arwen...do not weep..."

But she was weeping as she held his hand...

"You need your tears.."

"Legolas, I swear, you will NOT argue, foolish elfling!" Gimli began.

But Legolas, delicately dusted a tear off Arwen's cheek, and smiled,

"_Oni I estel Edain. U chebin, estel anim..."_ he whispered...

"What is he saying, She- Elf! Oh, a curse apoun elves for always speaking their own tounge, when others need to understand!"

"Arwen..."Legolas whispered again..."Be the Evenstar till the Morning Star returns..."he said, swallowing a great mouthful of his blood. And turned to Gimli, smiling as broadley as he could, though his face was growing cold...

" A blessing on the folk of the Mountain! And most of all on Gimli "star"...for you are their star. And who shall lead them when Oakenshield cannot? Gimli, friend of friends, be strong now..."

"You fool! Why are you talking as if we are parting! She knows the medicine! Her father's elf-magic! She will heal you, and then I will spin you on your head for facing that creature without me beside you!..."

"Do not forgive me, for I am not sorry.."Legolas laughed, and then broke into a fit of coughs...

"Why don't you do something, She- Elf!Please!"

"Gimli, he cannot be saved...To try now would only be to hurt him..."

"She is right, I go with the sun...Gimli.." and then he stretched his free hand to his friend, who clutched it in both of his and with all of his might.

"Gimli...Star...The Star...Under the Mountain..." he smiled,and closed his dread filled eyes, and chuckled, as he choked on his blood, and then there was silence, and he lay still as if he were asleep.

A cold wind blew, and the sun set.

"Legolas?" Gimli called,as if his friend were walking ahead of him on a path leading to Nowhere.

But he was gone.

Then Undomiel raised her voice, and cried, in the speech of her own people,

_Greenleaf, elfling,long under tree,_

_Sleep on now, and find the sea,_

_Or maybe the wind has set you free,_

_Where the stars are wandering,_

_Not all that wander are lost, Greenleaf,..._

_Only son of an elven king,_

_Of him the harpers sadly shall sing,_

_The last who's bow was swift and keen,_

_No words for what his eyes had seen,_

_And who shall bring that word to him?_

_To an elven king under the green?_

_No words to tell of what has been,_

_No shape to give this grief,_

_Long beneath the boughs shall lie,_

_Oh how then do the Deathless die?_

_All to ruin falls the world,_

_The trees are bowed the stars are veiled,_

_A Prince there was in Arda once,_

_Who's eyes were like stars, beyond the world,_

_But fire burned those eyes away,_

_And golden hair is hanging grey,_

_The Sun has set apoun his Day,..._

_Perhaps that Prince shall come again,_

_When his Wandering is done,_

_Over waves of golden light,_

_The Day after this endless night,_

_But now as far as I can see,_

_Legolas is lost at sea..."_

A simple song it was,but the Valar joined in it, and their voices rang through all the earth's circles as ripples do in a pond.

And far away as he fought dragons in the Sky, Tirgil heard them thus singing , and wept.


	10. Chapter 10 Elessar's Vow

**Elessar's Vow~**

Swiftly Elessar and the Captains of Tirgil,followed after the shouts. And yet they came too late.

And they heard the song of Arwen, and listened to the very last, and then there was hush like the hush before the Song ever began.

For in a single moment ended a life that had been meant to never end.

And when the long sigh of the silence ended, then Gimli's wailing began.

And Elessar took a long stride forward, and his eyes met those of Undomiel, filled with tears.

And before he knew it,he was sinking to his knees,and Eowyn caught him and eased him on his way down.

The world was spinning now, thrown into a Chaos that never it had , and on the night of the Fading of the Greenleaf, is when the The Endless War the nature in which the elf-prince had died, and the very fact that he _had_ died the very eve of great Victory! Never had the earth known the grief that would follow.

And then Aragorn Elessar rent his clothes open, and gave a great cry that rang the heavens, and rent the seas like a veil over the grave. And he swore in a loud voice saying, "By the light of the Flame! By the sword of Tirgil! I will cut down every horde until the blood fo Legolas is atoned for!"

And Eowyn bowed her head gravely, "And I will go with you, whether the road be Endless or for a short while. And perhaps the Lord will gain glory even here, and mayhap he shall be raised again,even as I was raised..."

Aragorn looked to the heavens, and saw that over them hung a red veil of the shedding of blood. ...

"Maybe he shall rise again...But not today..."

And so it was that the sun had gone down. And in that very night, they made for him a great pyre, for they found that the Shadow hung on his body so heavily that the whole camp would soon be under its hand. Gimli could not be torn away from him, till a host of mighty dwarves, tore him away. Then Oakenshield took him in his arms, and whispered in his ear,"Legolas would have wanted us to do as we must. Be strong, Gimli...You will need your strength now..." And then he handed him to his father.

A smoke went up in the air, and it was black, black as the blood of the serpents. But, as if by some last grace of the elf himself, a white shape in his visage, came and stood in the midst of the flames,waiting, eyes wide almost in fright.

Till Eowyn came forward, and stretched a hand to him. "Go..." she whispered..."Be at peace..."

Then lifting up his mighty bow, he set a shaft of the very lighting on the string, and looking back one last time in dread at Gimli...

"Go,"Eowyn said gravely, " I shall look after him..."

Then the visage turned away,and sped like a falling star into the night.

Into the smouldering ashes, right before the morning, Elessar climbed.

"Whilst our Lord fights devils away in the sky, he has named me his captain. Now who shall rise up with me? Now who shall avenge all that was green and good in the world they have taken. Now who shall get justice drop for drop of blood for our brother, who is fallen? Who goes with me? Even as the sun rises!"

With a mighty shout, they muster their men, and were away to war and death, even before the pyre had ceased to burn. And a cold rage took Gimli, and he took up his axe, and ran before the company, and even before the swift _mearas_.

A red sun rose, and a swift wind of Fire blew at their backs, and they knew that though he made war in the heavens, their Lord was with them.


	11. Chapter 11 Frodo's Sacrifice

**Frodo's Sacrifice~**

A fey mood had taken the servants of Tirgil. In a matter of seven days, were fought seven long battles, and all of them had had little food, and little water, and even less sleep. A darkness had taken Gimli, so that he became like a feral creature, like a small bear, and none would go near him, save bold Thorin Oakenshield, and even he went not unarmed with the shield of his name.

Such a horror was on Undomiel, that she fell ill, and there was fear that the Shadow had likewise taken her, and that she would not recover. And this was all the more grievous, for she was one of the healers amongst them. Elessar grieved mightily for his two dearest friends, who in a way both had died, for Legolas was fallen and Gimli was far away, in spirit, wandering amongst the ashes the Elf left in his wake. And he bore much care for his queen, who's shadowy fever only deepened the further they rode. But, though he grieved greatly, he would not speak of it, and his friends watched his silent sorrow, and were deeply grieved and filled with dread,at the darkness that took him.

Eowyn fell silent, for that Shadow had come too close, and she felt the creeping of fate on every watch of forest, fen, and field, and keeping true to the promise she had made Legolas, she rode far ahead, and behind, and encircling them, whenever the war drums ceased, watching all the roads, for the sign of the Dark Lord's mistress, returned for a greater revenge ,than even the death of the Deathless.

A hush fell over the Fellowship of the Ring. Boromir sat at the cookfire, and tried to comfort his young friends, Merry and Pippin, with words such as,

"Fear not, little ones! For if you see me, you see proof that Tirgil our Lord will not leave our friend in the Shadow,"

And Faramir his brother agreed saying, "Do you not see that I am clean of shadow, and whole, and my youth returned?When only a short while ago, I walked in shade myself? And behold the Lady of the White North," he'd said and his voice had grown low, as she had darted through the trees, in her steel armor that burned white as moonlight in the Flame Imperishable, astride Windfola the storm-cloud grey steed, that had borne her through the Battle of Pelennor Fields, and thrown her in his fear, and whom she had found again, when the Second Angband was taken, "Behold she with whom I walked in Shadow...If any can return from the Darkness again, clean, and whole, and youthen, the maiden Eowyn is proof of life after _his _Darkness..."

"But Faramir," Pippin had said, "Isn't it the Vampiress that we have dread of? Isn't she the real shadow, and she's only waiting for the Old Lord to die off?"

And then the blood froze in the veins of all who listened. For foolish, honest Pippin had just spoken truer words than he could understand, and Mithrandir turned on him, "Peregrin Took, my lad! Say not such things so openly under the trees. The Dark Lord has spies throughout all the land, and the ill will of his servants, be they perhaps more malificent than he, is heavy turned apoun us. If _she_ thinks we have learned her plan, it could bode ill for us..."

Frodo was sitting a ways a way at the doorway of the tent he shared with Sam, Merry, and Pippin.. Brave, stout hearted, compassionate fellow that Samwise was, he had taken the death of Legolas so very much harder than anyone had wondered that he might. He had been fond of the Elf ,and of elves in general, to meet an elf once being his wildest dream. He lay in a roll of dirty blankets,smudged in dirt and his own tears, where he'd cried himself to sleep. Frodo sat beside him, his fingers in his tangled curls, praying softly a blessing over him, as he ran the three fingers, and the thumb of the hand where one of his fingers was forever severed by Smeagol's teeth, through his brown locks, as if he were a frightened hobbit-lad finally fallen asleep.

"I still have the power to prevent any more of this, Sam..." he muttered to the dreamer, as a plan began to form. His heart felt as though it would shatter for what this would do to his ever faithful- through- the- ages companion. "And I know this will hurt you, so much more than you deserve. But it will save you, Sam, like you saved me, so many times...You and all of them. Tirgil can save me,it will be alright. I know what I have to do, and I must get on with it, as you yourself would do, if this were your task.I love you, my friend...Be well until we meet again. And we shall, trust me, Sam...You must..."

Then bravely, Frodo donned the mithril coat that Bilbo had given him, and took Sting and the Lady Galadriel's glass, and pulled on his elven grey cloak.

And out from under even the watchful eyes of Eowyn, he slipped off alone, to where he knew in his heart the Vampiress would be.

To the Hanging- Gardens -of- the- Spiders where the spirit of Legolas was now,bound in webs of the spirit...


	12. Chapter 12 The Race of Master Samwise

**The Race of Master Samwise~**

Eternal years in darkness with Frodo's presence ever near him, made it impossible for Sam not to feel his abscence. Almost as soon as he had risen up , and left him fitfully asleep in the encampment, he woke up, with a start, and a gasp, and his heart beating as if it were trying to fly from him to his master...

"Oh,Mr. Frodo,.."he gasped, in tears, "After all these years, and did you forget? Begging your pardon, but you are a fool, master, leaving your poor Sam behind! Don't you remember? Do you, master?, because I didn't forget, no way did I...I made Gandalf a promise, a long, long time ago, Mr. Frodo. "Don't you leave him,Samwise Gamgee!" And all this time, I have stayed by your side. Frodo- m'dear!,...Frodo.." Sam got to his feet, head heavy as stone with his tears,"All these years I have been at your side. And now, when you need me the very most, I shall not leave you. I made Gandalf a promise, Frodo, and I won't be breaking it, but I made _you _a promise, even if you don't know it. Master-! I will follow you into the Dark..."

And taking his cloak, and his broadsword, and his bag, though he'd probably not need it, up he got, and went after Frodo.

Who was, as we speak, crouched down in the sage brush, nigh the Spider's nest, planning a way to get in.

And he felt Sam's presence, before he saw him, and knowing the Doom to which they were sent, he closed his eyes against the horror, and though to himself,

"Tirgil, my Lord, would the One Father would give this wish, and let me sleep, and not wake! If only my soul could pass from me as the smoke passes from the chaff...Oh,Sam...not Sam..."

He turned, wide blue eyes filled with tears," You...you came."

Sam was still weeping, stifiling his sobs, behind trembling lips." But you knew I would, of course, master, you knew...How could you not?"

Frodo stood slowly up," Sam,..." he began, though really his greatest desire was that he would stay with him,"Sam,...I do not ask you to come with me. I never did. You...have done enough in my service...Go back with the others...serve only Tirgil, Sam ,dear Sam. I thank you for all you have done, and I want you..." he was choking now, "To be free,Sam..Free of the terrible burden I have been..."

"But master, how silly!" Sam cried, and came, and took him in his arms,"You haven't been a burden!I chose it you see, Mr. Frodo. It's like a race, sir, if you understand me. Like a race,where you choose to run all those long tiresome miles, and fall down, and spend up all your breath. But you keep running 'cause you're always running towards something."

"What are you running towards,Sam?"

Sam blushed, and his brows knit, and he drew Frodo closer yet..."Your freedom, Mr. Frodo...I've always longed to see you be free..."

Then Frodo cried, long and hard, and silent, and Sam held him, and watched the Hanging Gardens of the Spiders, roiling with after-life, with spiders devouring living souls. He looked into the eyes of the night, and saw Legolas at the heart of it all, wielding his firey bow against the maze of webs and spiders, wielding white as moonlit knives against the Vampiress in the midst of shadow...

"Why master, I think we may have spoke too soon. Looks like Legolas is dealing with that witch as we speak, even though he's...well, begging your pardon, but I didn't know as folks in his condition could still fight so valiantly!"

Then Frodo drew a deep breath, and stood upright, and looked in the direction Sam looked, "Valiant though he is, he cannot hold them all. There are more spirits of ill intent here than meet your eyes, Sam...And there is only one way to save all of them, away back in Tirgil's camp. That would be a ransom...I'm ready..."he drew a shaky breath, and Sam clutched his hand.

"LADY OF NIGHT!"Frodo shouted above the roar of confusion of battle in the shadow, and the dead elf could be felt freezing in suspenseful silence, listening.

She turned, "If it isn't the Nine-fingered come to sell his soul!"

Jeers of the spiders,"See, Legolas, you gave me your life for nothing.."

"Silence, witch!"Frodo cried, and brandishing Sting, stood up as straight and tall as he might, appearing to Sam now, as a lordly figure, robed in the Flame Imperishable, and he raised the Lady's glass against the shadow of his enemy's eyes. "For no deed of love is done for nothing! But there is a score to settle, it seems you and I both understand what it is..."

She stepped out of the shadow, " We do . But , do not think you can save the Elf from me merely by it ,verily, he is dead, and only your Lord can reverse that motion."

"This is I know very well, Lady of Shadow. And I must comitt Legolas to the Lord's hands...But that is not our bargain. Let us discuss _our _bargain only."

"You come to treat with me ,for the souls of living men?..Little fool , all men are dead from the cradle. Men are weak as shadows...Weak as shadows in the wee hours afore dawn's -light. If you would make yourself so cheap to me...then very well."

Sam stepped forward, "Who are you anyway to go speaking to my master in such a ways?!"

She turned on him with snake-cold eyes,"Ah yes, Samwise the Brave...We have heard of you.."

"Aye!, and who's "we"?..."

A hissing laughter that bubbled through the blackness of the Garden like a stream. "We are Legion for we are many..."

"Then all of you know our bargain, and shall take me to your master, and I do not mean Melkor the Black..." said Frodo.

A cracked voice spoke out of the darkness, and a gnarled shape, the like of one of the Tree-herders came forward, and perhaps he was once an ent, as even orcs were elves once, but the blackness of the Garden had rendered him this shape,

"Then up you come ,little halfiling! _Tarararabrrrrrruuuum. _To doom, to doom we are going."

Then he bore Frodo and Sam up, one on each of his black shoulders, and bore them away, into the night...


	13. Chapter 13 The Ride of Thranduril

**Thranduril's Ride~**

It was not very long before they realized the little ones were gone.

Then Eowyn beat apoun her breastplate, and there was a ringing of its cold ,grey steel throughout the camp, and she wailed, and the voice of one returned from the night,so stern and yet wailing so pitifully like an orphaned bird, an eaglet bereft of its kin, was most wretched to hear.

"And is there no end to the evil we behold?,"Boromir whispered to his brother, "For the little ones would give themselves, to spare us of this doom?Oh Lord, return from war in the heaven soon...Oh Frodo, ...you must know what you are doing..."

"We must go after them..."Thorin said, seeing the wan of Bilbo's face, like winter had siezed his flesh. For he was young again, and his mind not adled with age, or the Ring's obsession made him alive to his nephew's desperate end.

Eowyn was on her knees, and wailed at the sky, "Frodo, do not take that road! For verily, I have walked there in the bitter watches of the night! There is the road to the Last Tree where Tirgil hung himself for our damnations! There the stars hang dead, and the mountains are crowned with ashes, and the air is poison that swallows the soul in fire! Go not on that road,Frodo! For you ,I fear, there is no return..."

Aragorn looked on the stern face now rung with tears, and wretched weeping, in great pity, and shuddered to think of the horrors his friend had seen, away beyond the shadow. And Bilbo was nearly paniced, to see the Lady's plight, and Faramir clutched his stomach, as if he were in pain, and whispered,

"Tirgil, Lord, where are you?"

But all of their sorrow was interrupted by another's grief. For away in the forest, riding at night, apoun a great reindeer, came Thranduril king of the Woodland realm, and he sounded an elven horn.

Then Arwen lifted up her voice, and gave a great cry, a sorrowful cry, and the king came riding with greater speed.

And atlast when he was there in their midst, his face showed horror , only mulitplied by Eowyn, kneeling on the ground, helm-clad head in hands.

And Arwen said ,in a voice soft as snowfall, "My lord, why have you come?"

"Undomiel, Undomiel, you know why..." the king cried in a voice that sang over the sorrow of the ancient forest..

"Right through the ashes of Mordor , came I riding, to know if it were true...Tell me, is it? Is my son?..." he was striken, smitten, as if by an arrow of frost in the heart.

"My lord, it is true,"Arwen said , and her eyes filled with tears, and her raven hair fell about her face like the shadow of all despair, and the king knew for all his denial it was, for Bilbo gasped in horror, as Eowyn sagged, unconcious to her face, her grief causing her to lose her breath, just long enough to pass out of all knowing for a time.

"And where is his body, that I might lay him to rest ,somewhere beneath elven trees? Or bear him up, and send him over the water, that he might sink in the ocean, on the whale road,gone toward Elvenhome, toward Westernesse, though never reaching the Deathless land?"

Then Gimli stood on a stone, axe in his hands, and he was grey and as hard as the creatures in the dark place of Eowyn's sorrow, and so great was his grief, that he had become hard as the stone that is under the Mountain of the Last Tree, away in the Void...

"You will not be awarded that last grace, you shall not wash your son, nor bind up his wound, nor dress him in garments of beauty, nor lay him to rest. You shall not be given the merit of a last kiss, nor final farewell. For apoun him we found the Shadow ,so heavy, it would have taken and devoured us, where even we stood, and the ground trembled under him, so dark was that night, and the moon shone not...So, we bore up Legolas, on great cedar branches. We burned him on a great pyre of wood. And the body of your deathless son, is ashes under tree somewhere behind us, we could not even mark the place, so heavy fell the Shadow. And I saw him rise from his fire, to make war away in the darkness of the Spiders, where the soul is felled by poisons, and no spirit ever ventures free...You shall never again have comfort,ask not for it! Your son is dead, and the world is less, for the passing of he who was all things green and good."

Then Thranduril staggered, and Arwen caught him, and he fell to his knees, and gasped, and coughed up even his blood. And if not for Gimli's great grief, the others would have chastised him, for being so cold, but his cold had a danger to it, none would go near him, nor even speak to him.

But then, in the moment of desperation, when he needed most words, and silence fell on him, Mithrandir looked up to the heavens, feeling Him.

And just as Aragorn stepped forward,his own grief mastering him, to lay a hand on the Elf-lord's shoulder, to maybe ease him to the ground, for he looked as he, like Eowyn, would faint, Mithrandir, strangely enough, laughed,

"What?How dare you!"Pippin squeaked, his horror coming out of him, as Merry went and knelt on shaking knee by Eowyn's fair head, trying to roust his friend,with gentle shaking, and pleas. And Thorin caught Bilbo, and held him as his knees threatened to give out, and he begged,

"Th-th-thorin I think, I think I might be dieing,.."

Thorin had no time to respond for he heard Mithrandir laugh,and was mortified, "Gandalf, what mean you?"

"My friends, you have lost all hope too quickly, have you not?"

Then a bolt of white lighting fell from on high, and the eagles circled and screamed His praise, and out of the storm -cloud,Tirgil stepped, armor coated in the blood of dragons ,twilight- fire hair wafting about his face like troubled smoke,

"Oh, my friends, I am delayed too long, and I am of truth, very sorry! I must needs slay the Nameless One, lest he devour all flesh. But ,behold, Legolas' obedience has bought me time, had he not been watchful, the Nameless One would have gotten in. As for the Vampiress, fear nothing of her, she is empty, hollow, a blood drinking , blood-less creature, simple and knowing nothing. She could only kill the body, but I shall go now for his soul, that is very much alive and struggling, and I must ease his pain now.."

"My Lord, perhaps you have come too late?" Pippin wailed, and Bilbo began to weep, and Thorin held him up with all his might, saying into his ear,

"No,Bilbo, the Lord is here now.I won't let you sucumb to your fear, least of all now. You will need strength on the road we must travel!"

Merry looked up, in tears, for he could not wake Eowyn.

Tirgil smiled, "Why so, Pippin?"

Boromir stepped forward, "My Lord, the little ones, Frodo and Sam, went to make bargain with _her _for us all."

Tirgil nodded gravely, "Frodo and Sam are merely obeying the call of the Secret Fire, as Legolas has done, as I too must do. Fear not, I have not forgotten them. Dry your tears now, Thranduril. Merry, do not weep..And Bilbo ,my son, do not be so anxious!" The Lord went to Merry's side, and knelt, and rolled Eowyn over,

"Lord,..." she gasped, as she woke,"Lord, Frodo.."

"Shh...I know where he is,you need not tell me, dear woman. I know where he is, and I do not forget, nor will I forsake him in his need. But now is Legolas' turn for rising."He sat Eowyn up, and embraced her."Arwen, lend your sister your leach- craft, for she is sick of all her sorrows and burdens...She will need strength for the road we must travel."And Arwen obeyed, lifting Eowyn up, under her arms, and taking her to her own tent, "I have _athelas_ in the place of my sleep. It will help you atleast sleep lighter.."

"Thank you ,Lady Undomiel..."Eowyn whispered, and laid heavy helmed head on Arwen's shoulder. She pulled the helm off ,letting her sister's golden hair fall down."Rest your head on the light bedding of the elves, there is no war till morrow. You will share with me this evening, for I have an extra bed roll."

Tirgil lifted Thranduril and Aragorn up."You have the skill of healing,Elessar. Take him with you,and tend to him, and to yourself. I will need you in the morning."

"Aye, my lord!"Aragorn whispered, and lead the king away.

Then Tirgil went to Bilbo,and Merry and Pippin, and embraced them all in turn."Dry your tears,my little friends, Frodo and Sam are right where they are meant to be. Wherever my father sends one, there is the safest place. They are safer even under Shadow in the heat of the Flame Imperishable, than they are lying in their beds in proper place beside you...Bilbo, don't sway knees be strong." He stretched his hand to Bilbo's chest,and he gasped for it was so.

Then He ushered Merry and Pippin on their way to bed, turned and grabbed Thorin by the shoulders,"I thank you for being strong for your brothers!Continue to be strong, my son! Gimli's need is Bilbo to bed.."

"Aye,Lord," he gasped, and wrapped an arm around Bilbo's shoulders."Thank you,Lord,"the Hobbit whispered,as Oakenshield lead him away.

And Tirgil turned to the sons of Denethor.

"Boromir, take your brother to his bed,...and rest in ease, dear one, your care is over."He said, laying a hand on Faramir's stomach briefly, easing its pain. He gasped thanks and his brother lead him away.

And then ,last of all He turned to Gimli.

"Thou Heart of Stone, release him."

Gimli suddenly gave a cry,and fell on his face, heavily weeping, the spell the Shadow had cast on him broken.

Tirgil rolled him over,"Will you ride with me, to deliver Legolas up from the darkness?"

"Lord, I will go with you, if I must cling to your horse's heel!"~


	14. Chapter 14 The Winds of Release

**Chapter 14_The Winds of Release~**

**Note to the Readers: This is the final chapter of the "Tales of New Shadow". I intend to write this "sequel" to the Lord of the Rings much the same way the Professor wrote his trilogy. The plot of the "Tales of New Shadow" will go on indefinately, much like a mythology,or until it reaches a stopping place. Continuing parts of this story will not be posted as Part 2, Part 3, etc., for example, but under diffrent titles.**

**If you enjoyed the plot under this title, and want to continue the story, "Part 2" will be posted under the name of "The Drums of Stone"**

**Thanks everyone who reviewed, you were a big part in the making of this! Now ,on with the story...**

Legolas Greenleaf took counsel with himself ,as he began to sink in the mountains of ashes the Spiders of the Deep pulled down apoun him, webs like chains of damnation,

"You fool," he cursed himself, "You have died and saved no one. The _perrienath_, the Halflings, _oh Frodo, I am sorry!"

And the spiders cursed and swore at him, as they hauled down mountain after mountain of the ashes of the deep,

"Lie, lie for all time under the dust that your brethren have become!Lie in the ashes of the Eldar! Behold, how the Deathless die! And you alone, little leaf, floating on the surface of a pool of blood, you are but one stray leaf, in the fall of a great Forest of Elven Souls!"(which happens to be a literal place,to which,dear readers, we have yet to come in this narrative)

"But, Legolas," the elf said to himself, "How are you cast down already? The Fire commanded, and you obeyed. You can do no more than that, Thrandurillion.

And perhaps you are ashes now, even so, if the Fire has called you, and the end is ashes, is it not then a worthy end? It is better to obey, than to work great deeds, to heed His voice, than to win great victories...So, you, Prince of the Greenwood, have burned with all that is green on earth?...Even then, all is well...

For a moment you served a greater a greater glory. For a moment,Greenleaf, you were fuel to the Fire...And that is a task of glory, an honor of its own, even if ashes is its end..."

And the elf spread his hands, and said, "Oh, I am a servant of the Secret Fire! Let the Flame receive my spirit..."And he resolved that even if he would burn till he were no more than a vapour of smoke, and even if he would no more be, then he purposed in his heart, yet then would he obey. For his Lord ,to him, was more than life,life eternal, or after-life. More than being, was the elf's love.

Suddenly ,into his darkness, he heard a voice he knew, saw a flash of cold iron."Stay your filth, and stand away! How many of you can I cut down, before I join him in the pyre?! We shall see!" cried Gimli.

Legolas could not believe his ears.

And then, the shadow of a maiden clad in armor, white as a steel blade, flashed through his mind. "Gimli...Eowyn?" he wondered aloud. He heard a kingly cry, "Aragorn..." A She-Elf wielding moon-white blade of her father, "Arwen?" His friends stormed into the wreckage,like living sparks to a dieing fire.

The cry of his father coming to his aid, brought Legolas tears and he could speak no more, though he heard Merry and Pippin, and Boromir and Faramir, and Thorin with his company, his burglar at his side, and Gandalf , holding burning staff aloft, all come charging in with a mighty cry.

And then a tall, white figure, burning like the cold fury of the stars, robed in the Flame Imperishable, and in His hand a spear of living frost, came into the midst of the wreckage. He stood still and white as the moon in the black morning-before-dawn sky. And all of the circles of the world, and the Ages of the West, wheeled in their great haste around Him. But time stood still where He stood. His face so bright and terrible,that the belly of hell growled within itself, like a cowering dog. And He was crowned in the Seven Stars, and in His free hand He held the Lamp-That-Outlasts, and seven tiers it bore, and burned with a fire that dies not.

Into the shadow ,He spoke,

"Legolas, come forth."

And the Elf felt himself rising up, as if the ashes were water, or as if he were smoke.

A moment later he lay, coughing hoarsely, making a sound alot like a pigeon on his roost, and blinking stupidly against the light of the wilderness. The Spiders and their Vile Web-Works were gone. He lay in a valley of broken white stone, like many bones, and clay as red as blood, with no trees, and no grass, and no sun. It needed no sun, for there, He stood.

He laughed, and His teeth shone like stars, and His hair stood up as if it were flame, and His eyes were as green as the boughs in a summer night.

"Here we have gotten one. Shall we not go after the other two? Shall the Legions of Shadow take tribute forever? Will the One-Father tarry from being angry for all time? Behold, the keys of Hell and the Grave are given to Me!"

And Gimli ran forward, and tackled his friend, and Thranduril fell on his face before the Prince of Song, that He had given him again his only son from death.

And Eowyn turned to Aragorn and said, "I breathe the winds of release,my friend!..Behold, a day is coming when all shall be right!"

Aragorn looked to Tirgil, "I feel if He walks amongst us, that Day is here even now..."

**~Being the End of the First Part of the Account of Tirgil's War with the Shadow of the Black Foe, and his servants~**


End file.
